1. Field of the Invention
In general, the invention relates to equipment and apparatuses for zip lining, and more particularly to a brake and capture system for zip lining.
2. Description of Related Art
A zip line is a rope line or wire suspended above the ground, typically on an incline. Zip lines are usually suspended at least several meters above the ground, and heights of over 100 meters have been used. In zip lining, a trolley or pulley system is mounted on the zip line, and a passenger travels from one end of the zip line to the other, propelled by gravity, by hanging from the trolley. Zip lines themselves are not new; however, zip lining has recently been growing in popularity as a recreational activity and sport.
Zip lining poses a number of safety and logistical problems. Among those problems is the speed of zip lining. In order to reach the other end of the line, a zip liner must accumulate enough speed and momentum to reach the other side. If the trolley is too slow (e.g., because the zip line is not inclined steeply enough), friction and other factors may cause the trolley to stop moving in the middle of the line, leaving the rider stranded and requiring course personnel to go out onto the line and haul the trolley in, a difficult process made more difficult and dangerous by the height.
While lack of sufficient speed is a problem, too much speed is also a problem. Simply put, zip liners need some mechanism to stop. In some cases, zip liners are simply issued thick leather gloves, and are expected to slow down by grabbing the zip line above them. Dislocated shoulders are not an infrequent result of this maneuver. Mats and netting have also been used, but none of these mechanisms provide an easy mechanism for stopping.
There are some braking and arresting systems, like that taught in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0162917 to Steele et al., but these types of systems often require extensive modifications or additions to existing course equipment, and have not been widely used.